PRESIDENT’S VIEW
CIANJ Members and Fabulous Foods
Help New Jersey’s Healthcare Heroes
“As a proactive business organization, it was difficult to watch this virus devastate the lives and
businesses of so many of us in New Jersey,” says Richard Abramson, a member of Cole Schotz P.C.,
who chairs the CIANJ board.
By Anthony Russo
President, CIANJ
Associations are
defined by the
strength of the
collaborations and connections
among the
members. At CIANJ, we
are very proud of the
overwhelming response
our members made to
a special call for action
that shows the depth of their commitment.
We asked for contributions to bring meals
to the hero healthcare workers fighting to help
people suffering from COVID-19. In less than two
weeks, members contributed $5,850 to provide
380 meals to workers at member hospitals.
“As a proactive business organization, it was
difficult to watch this virus devastate the lives
and businesses of so many of us in New Jersey,”
says Richard Abramson, a member of Cole
Schotz P.C., who chairs the CIANJ board. “We
called our friend and member, Fred Luberto
of Fabulous Foods and came up with a plan to
help in some way by providing special meals for
our frontline healthcare heroes.”
Carefully boxed assortments of sandwiches
and delicious chicken entrees, pasta, and
meatballs, eggplant parmigiana, and even
comfort food like mac n’ cheese and chicken
fingers were prepared by Fabulous Foods
of Moonachie. CEO Fred Luberto had only
recently recovered from the virus himself and
was eager to help. He rounded up the donations
himself to bring a total of 500 meals.
“It’s very rewarding to be able to do
something like this,” Luberto said. Even
before CIANJ started its drive, Luberto
decided his catering business would make
a difference. While recovering at home and
watching television news, “I saw all these
wonderful people on the frontlines knocking
themselves out and I said ‘we’ve got to send
a whole bunch of meals to them to help,’ ”
Luberto recalled.
When he partnered with CIANJ, he included
notes from the donors, like The ELM Group of
Princeton, that wanted the healthcare workers
to “please accept these meals as a small token
of our gratitude and appreciation for your
hard work and dedication in fighting the
coronavirus. Thank you for taking care of our
friends and families and remember to take some
time to care for yourself!”
“We called our friend and
member, Fred Luberto of
Fabulous Foods and came up
with a plan to help in some
way by providing special
meals for our frontline
healthcare heroes.”
Valley Hospital in Ridgewood received the 75
meals donated by The ELM Group. “Seeing the
happy and relieved faces of staff who received
pre-prepared meals both in the hospital units
as well as on their way home from work is a
clear sign that our service and our staff has been
welcomed and appreciated! I am sure that when
this crisis is over, they will remember how Valley’s
supportive community has helped in so many
ways,” wrote David J. Bohan, vice president and
chief development officer at the Valley Hospital
Foundation in a note to Fabulous Foods.
CIANJ asked Fabulous Foods to contact
all its members hospitals to arrange meal
deliveries. In addition to Valley, they included
Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, Chilton
Memorial Hospital, East Orange General
Hospital, Englewood Hospital and Medical
Center, Hackensack University Medical Center
and Holy Name Medical Center.
The other CIANJ members who donated
included Cole Schotz P.C.; The Creamer Family
Foundation; Lakeland Bank; LPS Industries;
Newmark Associates; CRE LLC; Palmer & Cay;
Piro, Zinna, Cifelli, Paris & Genitempo, LLC;
Techminds Group LLC; Withum; X-Solutions
Consulting Services LLC; and a personal
contribution from Katherine Zech of PKF
O’Connor Davies LLP.
Continued On Page 8
Members contributed $5,850 to provide 380 meals to workers at member hospitals, and Fabulous
Foods CEO Fred Luberto rounded up the donations himself to bring a total of 500 meals.
6 COMMERCE www. commercemagnj.com